Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 01.djvu/697

ANT-EATER. and ants, upon which it principally subsists. These are tal^en by means of tlic long tongue, whieli is covered with a sticky secretion from great salivary glands; this tongue is thrust among the disturbed ants or laid in their path, and, when a number liave adhered to it, is drawn into the mouth.

Only one young one is said to beproduced annually. so that the creature is nowhere numerous; nor is this to be regi'etted, lor it has few. if any, (pialities to reconnnend it to man's attention. Another species, the tamandua ('limandua Irtradiicli/la ), is much smaller, has a shorter head and short, bristly hair, and a slender, prehensile tail; its body is black, while the head, neck, fore-limbs, and hind-quarters are yellowish-white — a strange dress, varying a good deal among individuals. It also dwells in the equatorial forest of America, but is wholly arboreal, seeking its insect food and making its homo in trees. A third species, the little, or two-toed, ant-eater {Cydoturus didaclijJus) , is not larger than a I'at, is clothed in silky fur, and dwells altogether in trees, for which its long, prehensile tail and curious feet have become especially modified; an- other species inhabits Costa Rica. For portraits of the three species mentioned above, see plate of A.t-Eaters.

Other animals called ant-eaters are: (1) The manids, or scaly ant-eaters. (See Manis.) (2) The aard-vark (q.v.). (3) The porcupine ant-eaters, or EchidncE. (See Echidna.) (4) The Australian insectivorous marsupials of the genus Myrmccobius. as Myrmccohiiis fascia tus, of West .'ustralia, about as large as a squirrel, chestnut led, with white and dark stripes on the back. It has a long, slender tongue, like a true ant-eater, but it has more teeth than any otiier living mam- mal. It scratches open ant-hills for its food. (See plate of Phaiangees.) (5) Any of various ant-eating birds. AN'TEDILU'VIAN (Lat. anic, before -f di-luriiiin. Hood). A word used to denote whatever existed before the Flood. The antediluvian ages are those which elapsed before the Flood; and in theological language, the antediluvian religion means the religion of the patriarchs from Adam to Noah. In geology, the antediluvian period had no reference to the Deluge recorded in the Mosaic narrative, but signified only the final transformation of the earth by means of water. The terra is not in current use at the present time.

AN'TEDON. See.

AN'TEFIX (Lat. neut. pi. antefixa, from ante, licfiirc + /i.T»,s, fastened, fixed). A terra- cotta or ninvblc decoration along the edge of the roof of classic buildings, covering the end of the

TOW' of semi-circular tiles placed over the joints of the flat tiles on the roof. They were upright slabs, usually decorated with a single head or an anthemion, althoiigh sometimes they were com- posed of entire figures or even groups. The Etruscans developed this form of roof ornament even more than the (irceks.

ANTELAMI, an'ta-la'me, Benedetto. A north Italian architect and sculptor of the twelfth ccntur}-; one of the most notable artists l)receding Nicola i'isano. His masti'rpiece is the baptistery at Parma with its numerous and important sculptures.

AN′TELOPE (Gk., antholops, a horned animal). Any of many hollow-horned ruminants forming a group (formerly esteemed the family Antilopidæ) within the family Bovidæ, and usually classified between the cattle and goats. The English word, in its widest popular use, often includes on the one hand a group represented by the chamois and the Rocky Mountain goat, preferably designated goat-antelopes; and on the other the American antelope or pronghorn (q.v.), which belongs to a quite different family. Scientifically, as now restricted by R. Lydekker and recent students, the term excludes these forms. The group cannot be demarked from other bovines by definite characters, yet as a whole it is easily recognized by the graceful build of its members (exhibited in the accompanying illustrations), their short hair, lively colors, manner of carrying the head uplifted, and the absence of a goat-like beard. &ldquo;The horns, which may or may not be present in the females, are generally long, more or less cylindrical, and often lyrate in shape; while they are frequently marked with prominent rings and have an upright direction. Their bony internal cores, instead of being honeycombed, as in the oxen, sheep and goats, are nearly solid throughout. These animals generally have a gland beneath the eye, by which they are distinguished from the oxen and goats.&rdquo;—(Lydekker). In size they vary from a foot in height to the bigness of a large horse. Almost all are timid, peaceable animals, with small means of defense, and trusting for safety to the agility and fleetness in which they excel. Most of them inhabit plains, and these are highly gregarious; a few are found only in mountainous regions, while others dwell in pairs or small bands in jungles and deep forests. Paleontologists inform us that antelopes are the most generalized members of the Bovidæ now existing, and &ldquo;since they are also its oldest known representatives, it is probable that from them have been derived the more specialized types,&rdquo;—oxen, sheep, goats, etc.

Though now wholly restricted to Asia and Africa, the antelopes had formerly a wide distribution in Europe and Asia alone. Their disappearance from Europe and spread into Africa within recent times (geologically speaking), and their enormous multiplication there, form one of the most remarkable incidents in the history of the mammalia. When South Africa was first penetrated by Europeans, many species were found ranging its grassy plains in enormous herds, which formed the principal resource for animal food of the natives and a great number of carnivorous animals. This continued until the middle of the nineteenth century, when the rapid spread of English and Dutch colonization swept them away. Vast numbers were wasted by sportsmen and reckless colonists, or were killed for the sake of their flesh and hides, until